You’d be forgiven for thinking that Edinburgh, as the capital of Scotland, would have the most casinos north of the border. Yet in reality it is Glasgow that plays host to the most, boasting five compared to Edinburgh’s four.
Perhaps that’s not overly surprising given the known enmity between the two cities, with Glasgow always wanting to get one over on the city that hosts a yearly arts Festival. The variety in Glasgow makes it an appealing place to visit for casino lovers.
The Casinos
Let’s have a look at the five casinos on offer in Edinburgh to see if we can help narrow down the one that you’ll want to head to first.
Alea Casino – Springfield Quay
The Alea chain of casinos has slowly started to challenge the more established brands in recent years, with the one at Springfield Quay being a good representative of the brand. Luxurious and modern, it overlooks the River Clyde and its central location means that its popular with locals as well as tourists looking for somewhere to have a flutter.
The casino is set over two floors, with the ground one being where the majority of the gaming action takes place. It’s a good size, meaning that it’s able to offer both all of the traditional games such as roulette and blackjack that you’d expect, as well as some more unusual ones like punto banco. On top of that there’s both electronic roulette and plenty of slot machines.
The poker room on offer at the Alea Casino is one of the most impressive in all of Scotland, so it’s not a surprise that it’s popular with lovers of the game. There are regular tournaments as well as cash games, plus a poker lounge for relaxing in. The Waterfront Restaurant combines excellent views with nice food, whilst the two bars on site cover drinks and sporting events.
Casino At The Corinthian – Ingram Street
The city centre location of the Casino At The Corinthian makes it more than a little bit popular, whilst its presence in the Corinthian Club, which underwent a multi-million pound makeover recently, means it’s found in opulent surroundings. The Corinthian Club has been made into an entertainment hub, so you can mix your casino time with a trip to a number of bars.
Stepping into the casino feels akin to a trip back to the 1920s, thanks in no small part to the luxurious look to the place. It’s the gaming you’ll be most interested in, of course, and on that front it’s perfect for beginners and seasoned pros alike. That’s because of the ‘Learn To Play’ sessions that are run on the regular.
You can play three-card poker alongside the roulette and blackjack on the main gaming floor, but there’s also a private poker room if that’s something you’re interested in. The casino is supplemented by The Tellers Bar & Brasserie, with good dining options and a nice wine and cocktail list for those of you so inclined.
Grosvenor Casino – Merchant City
Located in the merchant area of the city of Glasgow, this member of the Grosvenor Casino chain is easily reachable by public transport and is also close to some public car parks. If you’ve ever been to a Grosvenor Casino before then you’ll know pretty much exactly what to expect, with a relaxed atmosphere and decent gaming options being high on the list.
In terms of. Those gaming options, Grosvenor always make sure that they’ve got the basics covered, so there are a number of roulette tables as well as blackjack, three-card poker and more. There are also around forty slot machines for those of you that like to enjoy an electronic experience, whilst cash poker games are often on the go.
Those poker games take place both on the Texas Hold’em tables on the casino floor and in the dedicated poker room, where tournaments are also common. Pretty much every Grosvenor Casino has the same restaurant, which offers the likes of ribs, steaks and other basic meals. There are two bars on offer, one on each floor of the casino’s two.
Grosvenor Casino – Riverboat
Whilst the second Grosvenor Casino in the city is, sadly, not actually a riverboat and is instead a rather dull looking grey concrete building, it is close enough to the River Clyde to mean that you can almost feel as though you’re floating on water when you play there. Its location as well as its decent gaming floor are what make it such a popular venue.
That gaming floor offers something for every taste of gambler, with roulette wheels and blackjack tables sitting alongside a heap of slots and three-card poker offerings. Sadly that is virtually the limit of the poker offering here, though there are two tables on the gaming floor that are sometimes used for cash games of Texas Hold’em.
The lack of a poker room might take the shine off the casino, but the restaurant has a Southern US feel, hence its name of The Louisiana, and it takes full advantage of those gorgeous river views. There are also two bars on site where you might just fancy getting a sour mash or a mint julep to truly get into the spirit of things.
Genting Casino – Sauchiehall Street
If there’s a Grosvenor Casino or two in a city then you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be a Genting not far behind. In the case of Glasgow the Genting Casino is one of the chain’s largest, accessible thanks to Charing Cross Train Station’s location about five minutes walk away. It might not be the biggest casino in Glasgow, but there are plenty of gaming choices.
As well as all of the standard games there are also Multi-Win Poker tables, baccarat and roulette options, plus there are electronic versions of all three of those. They sit in and around the slots, of which there are plenty. The dedicated poker room here plays host to both cash games and tournaments, which will keep Texas Hold’em fans happy.
Pop into any Genting Casino in the country and you’ll know that as well as decent gaming options there’ll also be a good restaurant, with the Glasgow version being no exception. Mou Mei promises some authentic Asian cuisine as well as European options, whilst the venue’s bar also offers a snack menu if you get hungry during your play.